HÀ NỘI —For the first time, the Dao ethnic group will celebrate a national festival of its culture and traditions on September 29 and 30 in the northern mountainous province of Tuyên Quang.

The festival is expected to gather 50,000 people from 12 provinces and cities. They will experience Dao music, costumes, cuisine and ritual ceremonies, food, and sports. Visitors can also view photo exhibitions and attend a seminar on preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the Dao, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

As one of Việt Nam’s 54 nationalities, the Dao community has an estimated population of 750,000. They mostly reside in northern mountainous provinces such as Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, and Yên Bái. Their main economic activities are farming in rocky areas, weaving, and silver craft-making. The Dao ethnic group accounts for 11 per cent of Tuyên Quang Province’s population, with over 77,000 people, the third-largest after the Kinh and Tày groups.

Preparations for the festival are now underway with a troupe of some 200 Dao artists and people.

Alongside with the Dao festival, the annual Tuyên Quang City Festival will take place at Nguyễn Tất Thành Square, the heart of the cityon September 29 and 30. About 70 outstanding lantern designs, which depict characters in fairy tales, colloquial stories and famously beautiful areas of the country, have been selected for the parade at the square.

The festival has become an important cultural and social event as well as a unique tourist attraction. Imbued with the province’s cultural identities, it attracts a large number of domestic and foreign visitors, said Nguyễn Hải Anh, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.

This year, the festival will include a performance by artists from the Việt Nam National Song and Dance Theatre, a food tasting introducing draught beer and local cuisine and a presentation of costumes used in Mother Goddesses worship.

During the two-day festival, free Wifi will be set up at the venues where activities taking place. — VNS